Paige: Math teachers needed

Terry Webster

Thursday, May 31, 2001 | 10:27 a.m.

Ensuring that all children receive a good education and improving math and science skills are two of the most important issues facing public education throughout the nation, Education Secretary Rod Paige said Wednesday.

His comments came during a tour of the Clark County School District, the country's sixth largest.

"We've got to provide this kind of opportunity for all children," Paige said after interacting with students at Hyde Park Middle School, a magnet school that specializes in science and math.

He also said it's vital for the country to increase student performance in math and science, in order to keep pace with education throughout the rest of the world.

"It's very important for us to get our math and science right," Paige said. "This nation cannot go speeding into the future looking into a rear view mirror. We've got to fix the math and science instruction in our classrooms."

Part of the problem is the country's lack of outstanding teachers to teach math and science, he said.

"We have a lot of great teachers, but not nearly enough excellent teachers, especially in math and science," said Paige.

After observing a sixth grade math class and a seventh grade science class at Hyde Park Middle School, Paige said he was impressed with what he saw.

"I saw bright students actually enjoying learning," he said.

Paige toured the school after being invited by Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Harry Reid, D-Nev. Nevada Department of Education Superintendent Jack McLaughlin and Clark County School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia also were on hand.

Bringing more education funding to Nevada was one of the key topics aired by officials.

Reid and Ensign said they are trying to amend funding formulas to allow more aid to flow here.

"We're growing rapidly," Ensign said. "And we don't get our fair share of funding. One of the things we've been talking about is not only the funding formulas --we're going to try to fix that with an amendment next week -- but also some of the grants that are out there and available through the Department of Education."

Prior to the Hyde Park tour, the entourage visited the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts. The school was honored by the Department of Education as one of the top 27 high schools in the country in November 2000.

During a closed-door meeting at the school, discussions were held on national testing, the needs of rural school districts and challenges in rapidly growing districts like Clark County.